?Chapter 1157:


    “We have no choice. Faceless is ranked fourth in our organization, and his mastery of disguise is unrivaled,” Raegan replied as she secured a mask over her face and drew a pistol from the briefcase.


    The moment the vehicle door swung open, Chris rolled to the side and crouched behind a dented trash bin for cover. Shots struck the metal with muted pings, the sound dulled by suppressors. The attackers stepped out of the car wearing identical masks, their silenced weapons glinting in the dark.


    “Move quickly! Get him out of there!” Themanding voice of a woman cut through the chaos.


    At the sound of her tone and the sight of those masks, Chris narrowed his eyes.


    It was Raegan — alongside members of The Mask.


    That revtion made no sense.


    Chris’ thoughts spun wildly, scrambling to piece together possibilities that seemed impossible. It wasn’t the first time this had happened… and he had given Raegan more than enough warnings.


    A searing pain tore through Chris’ skull, as though a de were carving into his mind. The migraine hit him with brutal force.


    “Kill him! He must not speak of what he saw today.”


    Raegan’s order rang out with firm resolve.


    “Yes, ma’am!”


    Chris pressed his back against the wall, his chest rising and falling inbored breaths.


    The sound of boots echoed closer, tightening the noose around him.


    Without warning, gunfire erupted.


    A rush of footsteps followed immediately after.


    F??nd n?w ??h??????????s ??t g??l??ov?ls.?????


    Lifting his head, Chris wondered if the blinding pain had driven him to see illusions, because Maia suddenly appeared before him — yet he hadn’t heard a single step approach.


    “Chris! Can you hear me?” Maia darted forward and caught Chris just as his bnce gave way.


    The sight of his mmy skin and sweat-drenched face told her exactly what was happening.


    “Stay with me! I’ll get you to the hospital right now.”


    Outside the emergency ward of Wront Central Hospital, Maia wore a groove in the floor as she paced back and forth.


    Why Chris had been caught in such danger was beyond her, but she knew one thing — had she and Pattie’s guards not arrived when they did, they might have been facing his corpse instead of waiting on doctors.


    That chilling thought sent a shiver racing down Maia’s spine.


    The importance of Chris to Zoey’s scheme wasn’t the only thing weighing on her. The deeper truth was that he was her husband. No more lies, no more flimsy reasons — Maia knew that she had already surrendered. Chris’ quiet care had broken through her frozen defenses.


    “Chris, please… you can’t leave me now!” Maia whispered through gritted teeth.


    .


    .


    .